Downspout strainer



Jam., 1% 1950 w. B. SCHMIDT DowNsPoUT STRAINER Filed sept. 2o, `194:/

Patented Jan. 17, 1950 'My inventin irlit particularly to-strainefromeaves "troughs 'er r` pose offremcving fdaeign@mantenerlasitems,-

twig's; and the me,friseurfaistrainings;`

The primary ohjet'cf'iniyinvntion "to -Aprovide astrainer' which .willectivelylremovesuch water-thretlirough Another object`.of,my.inuentionlgis to provide a device, as above'desciibediiwhich,under normalfcircumstancesforeigrrmatterisrenovedim tirely from thedrainpipe ltl'lrcuigilfi"ta :discharge vide` :.drip-g-pmducing,meant-con therstra-inerlfffor facilitating :removal of waterftherefromintoifthe drainpipe.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a strainer,as above described, which is simple and easy to manufacture and installand which needs no attention in operation.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent fromthe following specification, appended claim, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, in which like characters indicate like partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective, illustrating the use of myimproved strainer in a down drain from a roof gutter; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, some parts being brokenaway and some parts shown in section.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, the numeral I indicates,inits entirety, a strainer casing which is interposed in a down drain 2.Down drain 2 is suitably fastened to' and has direct communication withan eaves trough or roof gutter 3, which is suitably secured to the loweredge of a roof 4. The casing I maybe formed integrally with thedrainpip'e 2 or secured thereto by soldering or the like. The drainpipe2 forms an inlet 5 and an axially aligned outlet 6 at the top andbottom, respectively, of the casing I. The casing I may be located atany desired point in the down drain 2, but preferably, and as shown, ispositioned closely adjacent the eaves troughY 3. In any event, thestrainer is located between the reavesr trough i3 andfanyelbowaor trap.whichrmay' i be :included `in the# strainer system. i V

The casingfl -ismreter-ablyA rectangular iforrn` i and-'comprises -;arear :wall =I,\-\sidewalls 18, and;` upper andflowerffrontviwallportionswl` fand- I U i respectively. The isidegwallsfl fat theirwinter'- mediate portions, -projectfffcrwardlyof :thahfront4 1v wall portions 9 and III. The lower front Wall:- portion l I 0fis -formed -`to provide-a ramp` 1f I4 Iffwhichextends(diagonallmupwardly and forwardlyto the extreme -lforward'fedgeofsthe side-'v.ra1ls8.U The.

sidewalls- 8` `and-Julie-1:13:01;twall portions @.5 and :Ill :Ilcooperate. to rclene annppeningui 2 :for fthe dis-wcharger-offoreignxmatterprastwill behereinafter ;.Agstrainer,elementz'ttisimade up pfiaiplurality of.laterally-spaceti;`parallelrods I 4, whichatetheir upperl ends :are 'securedaby welding :orthe .zlike-wto sJ therear iwallrmldirectly,belowfthefinlet yTherodstIAlextend.downwardlyzandforwardly within the casing ;I and terminateabove ithe Jforward edge I 5 of the ramp I I. The extreme outer ends ofthe rods I4 preferably project outwardly beyond the edge I5 of the rampII. It will be noted that the rods I4 are formed with a slight arc andthe strainer element I3, as thus constructed, provides a relativelysmooth and unobstructed slide. Foreign matter, such as leaves, twigs,stones, and the like, which enter the down drain 2 from the eaves trough3, strike the strainer element I3, and are normally deflected outwardlyfrom the discharge opening I2.

Most of the water passing downwardly through the drain 2 will passfreely through the strainer element I3. However, some water will strikethe rods I4 and tend to run downwardly thereon and outwardly of thedischarge opening I2. Water is also transferred to the rods I4 fromcontact with wet debris. To prevent water from running to the extremeouter ends of the rods I4, I have provided drip-producing means in thenature of lugs I6, on the under sides of the rods I4, intermediate theirends. Water running down the rods I4 will tend to accumulate at the lugsI6 and drop from thence into the outlet 6, or to the ramp I I (see Fig.2). Thus, substantially all of the flow of water from the eaves trough 3is retained within the down drain 2, while the foreign matter passesoutwardly through the opening I2.

The structure so far described will, as above pointed out, separateforeign matter, such as twigs and leaves, from the water spout. It is,nevertheless, true that, under abnormal circumstances,

the strainer element I3 will become clogged; and it is an importantobject of my invention to provide mechanism for manually unclogging thestrainer, even through the strainer may be located remote from theoperator. For this purpose, I provide a rock shaft i1, which ispivotally mounted on a horizontal axis within the casing I below therods I4 and preferably closely adjacent the upper edge I9 of ramp I I.Rock shaft I1 has its opposite ends journalled in the opposite sides 8of casing I. One end, indicated by numeral I8, extends through thecasing and has a crank arm I9 rigidly secured thereto. Secured to rockshaft I1 within the casing I in laterally-spaced relation along thelength thereof and extending axially therefrom are a plurality of teethor fingers 20 which are staggered with respect to the rods I4 and whichteeth together with the rock shaft I1, create a comb element for thecleaning of rods I4 when the rock shaft is rotated from the positionindicated in Fig. 2 to the position indicated in Fig. 1. It will bethere noted that teeth or iingers 20 are of a length to permit theirbeing lowered to a position below the rods I4 when not in use and to beprojected outwardly through the yopening I2 during the cleaningoperation.

To the shorter end 2| or crank arm I9, a hook 22 is secured. A coilspring 23 has its opposite end secured to'hook 22 and a hook 24 on theoutside of casing I. Spring element 23 normally biases the rock shaft I1and teeth 20 to the position of Fig. 2, so as not to impede the normalpassage of leaves out through the opening I2.

To the long end 25 of the crank arm I9, a chain or the like 26 issecured. Chain 26 runs over a pulley 21 secured to the side of thestructure and from thence to a position close to the ground so that itmay be reached by one desiring to unclog the strainer rods I4 by pullingdown- `having an inlet and an outlet at its top and bottom respectively,a discharge opening at one side thereof, a plurality of laterally-spacedstrainer rods extending diagonally downwardly .i across said casing andterminating outwardly of said discharge opening and above the bottomthereofQa comb element mounted within the casing below said rods forfpartial rotation about a horizontalaxis extending transversely of saidrods, said comb element having teeth which are staggered with respect tothe strainer rods, said-- teeth beingof a thickness and longitudinaldimensions to vpass upwardly through said strainer rods and outwardlythrough said discharge opening, and means biasing the teeth of saidcomb.

element tc a position below said strainer rods. WILLIAM B. SCHMIDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNrrED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 174,701 Parker Mar. 14, 1876441,419 Jones -11". Nov. 25, 1890 571,776 Long Nov. 24, 1896 1,653,473'Schulz Dec. 20, 1927 1,794,504 Van Norman Mar. 3, 1931 2,090,997 FrenchAug. 24, 1937

